The Big Picture of Medicine from Roman Britain - 1350 (Roman Britain - Medieval Era) Flashcards
When did the Romans invade Britain?
49AD
Describe the theory of the four humours.
- Developed by Ancient Greek doctor Hippocrates
- The body is made up of 4 humours - blood, phlegm, black bile, and yellow bile
- Too much/little (imbalance) causes disease
- Treatment: purge excess humour. E.g. bleeding, vomiting, clearing bowels.
Briefly describe the Roman ideas about medicine/ what they thought caused disease.
- Took ideas from the Greeks - work of Hippocrates + four humours
- Believed in gods/supernatural. Viewed disease as punishment from gods. Built temples + worshipped/asked gods to cure them.
- Also believed bad air (miasma) caused diease. Built settlements away from swaps. People believed this until the Renaissance/Industrial Era.
Describe the work of Galen
- Was doctor to the Roman Emperor - studied work of Hippocrates
- Followed Hippocrates’ method of clinical observation - observe patients + record symptoms
- Believed Hippocrates’ theory of four humours
- Adapted it to add theory of opposites to cure imbalance
- Dissected animals and wrote books which were studied until the Renaissance.
How important a factor was Galen’s work + what type was it?
Role of Individuals
Influenced medicine for more than 1500 years - both a help + hinderance
Some treatments worked, but following his work prevented further experimentation and discoveries
Describe the Roman public health system (briefly)
Saw link between dirt and disease. To prevent epidemics in overcrowded towns + cities and to keep army healthy developed PH schemes.
- Public toilets provided + sewers washed waste away from cities to nearby rivers
- Water pipes made from lead carried clean water to towns for everyone. Towns had public fountains and public baths for washing
- Aqueducts built to transport water from rivers + lakes to towns + cities.
What impact did the collapse of the Roman Empire have on medicine and treatment in Britain/Europe?
War broke out between tribes/countries that had been part of the empire.
- Public health systems destroyed
- Libraries full of medical books damaged
- Invading tribes couldn’t read Latin so not interested in education or work of Galen
- War priority - money/taxes spent on armies not education or medicine.
The only powerful insitution that survived was the Christian Church.
Describe the ideas about the causes of disease in the Middle Ages
- Still believed Hippocrates + 4 humours as this was what Church believed. Still treated by bleeding + purging
- Also believed in supernatural - punishment from God. Prayer as treatment
- Also believed miasma caused disease.
What was the influence of the Christian Church in the Middle Ages?
- Taught all illness was a punishment from God. Right for that person to suffer and only God could cure them.
- Supported Galen + Hippocrates’ work because they fitted the idea that one God created all humans
- Monastries + convents had best libraries and some provided training for doctors. They were taught 4 humours and were not encouraged to prove Galen wrong/experiment.
Describe (briefly) the treatment of disease in the Middle Ages
- Doctors had some medical training at Church-run universities
- Also studied urine charts and astrology to diagnose + treat.
- Had access to leechbooks which contained a mixture of Greek and Roman ideas about medicene as well as herbal remedies.
- Doctors only treated the rich. Most illness was dealt with at home by village healers who were usually women.
- Doctos did not attend childbirth, women acted as midwives instead.
- Wise women provided herbal remedies and advice on curing ailments.
- Hospitals were places or rest + recuperation. Not for infectious or terminally ill. Usually attached to monastaries or convents.
Describe public health and living conditions in the Middle Ages
Living conditions and health + hygene was very poor, especially in towns.
- City streets covered in rubbish and animal + human waste
- Water contaminated by other sources such as sewage and blood from butchers
- Government laws to keep streets clean were difficult to enforce
- Monasteries + convents healthier as they had their own public health systems with fresh water and toilets.
What was the main factor the prevented major change in the Middle Ages (arguably)?
Attitudes and Beliefs:
The Church controlled medical training + knowledge
